Crate



' (No Model.)

G. T. BENJAMIN, J. E. TINKER 82; W. O. ROSENBERGER.

CRATE.

Patented May 26, 1891.

mmwtoms WW firm/M1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE T. BENJAMIN, J ULIEN E. TINKER, AND \VILLIAM C. ROSENBERGER, OF OHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

C RAT E SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,827, dated May 26, 1891.

Application filed December 9, 1890. fierial No. 374,079. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE T. .ENJAMIN, J ULIEN E. TIINKER, and WILLIAM C. Rosnrr BERGER, of Chattanooga, in the State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in crates, the object being to provide convenient means for setting crates up in condition for use and also to provide for nesting :5 them during shipment without interfering with their general shape; and with these objects in view our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of our improved crate. Fig. 2 is an end view of the crate, showing the sides open or expanded, and Fig. 3 shows them closed.

A represents the bottom of the crate; B 13, the sides, and C C- are the ends. These sides and ends are secured, hinged, or otherwise connected to the bottom by metal straps l 1 or staples 2 2, or both, as preferred. At the upper corners these sides have loose connection with each other, so as to permit them to expand in order to receive another crate in nesting.

Ithas been the practice heretofore to make the sides rigid and either flaring or square. WVhen square, they could not be nested unless they were knockdown crates, in which instance a great deal of time and labor was lost in setting them up. In those with the flaring sides it was necessary to make the upper tier of baskets larger or to resort to some other scheme for filling the extra space left at the top; but in our crate we combine these advantages-that is, we construct the crates for nesting and at the same time provide means for squaring the crates when used, so that a uniform-sized basket is used throughout. The means generally employed for accomplishing this is that shown.

Loops or staples 3 3 are driven into the sides and ends near their upper corners and the fasteners 4L 4, which consist of narrow strips of metal, are bent at right angles at the middle and passed through these staples loosely. These fasteners are bent outward at their ends to prevent their drawing out of the staples or loops, and thus form stops to prevent the sides from being expanded beyond a certain point.

To set the boxes up, the sides and ends are pushed together and the fasteners are bent over, as shown in Fig. 3. \Vhen thus bent, the ends turn inwardly, so that a smoother and rounded exterior is presented, and there is no danger of the ends catching into the clothing or hands of those handling the crates.

It may be added that in order to make neatfitting corners they are preferably cut so as to overlap and form shoulders to prevent their being pushed inward beyond a certain point. This makes a very substantial as well as cheap crate, and can be made at a very small initial cost.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention, and hence we do not wish to limit ourselves to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a crate, the combination, with expanor equivalent devices at or near their upper corners, of straps extending loosely through these loops and projecting laterally outside of the loops to prevent the straps slipping from the loops, substantially as set forth.

2. In a crate, the combination, with expansible sides and ends, said parts having loops or equivalent devices at their upper corners, of straps extending loosely through these loops and bent laterally at their ends to prevent the straps slipping from the loops, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE T. BENJAMIN. JULIEN E. TINKER. WILLIAM C. ROSENBERGER.

Witnesses:

JULIAN E. DOUBLEDAY, K. MOE. CAMERON. 

